Bloody Tubs

The Bloody Tubs or Blood Tubs were a 19th-century gang of opportunistic street thugs in Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,[1] who worked primarily for Nativist Know Nothing politicians to commit election fraud.[2]

Bloody Tubs

Founding location	Baltimore, Maryland
Years active	1850s-1870
Territory	Baltimore, Maryland, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ethnicity	Non-Irish American
Membership (est.)	?
Criminal activities	street fighting, knife fighting assault, murder, robbery, arson, rioting, election fraud
Allies	Plug Uglies, Rip Raps, Nativists, Dead Rabbits
Rivals	Baltimore Irish gangs

Formed in the mid-1850s, the gang became known as the Bloody Tubs for their method of dunking political opponents in slaughterhouse tubs. Other sources claim it was derived from the "bloody oaths" members took upon joining the gang. The gang's violent tactics included blocking voting booths and attacking opposing voters, discouraging many people from the polls altogether.[3]

During the presidential election of 1860, the Blood Tubs reportedly planned to abduct, or possibly assassinate, President-elect Abraham Lincoln when he visited Baltimore.[3] At various times they also championed the Union cause. After the infamous Pratt Street Riot, the Blood Tubs could be seen sailing up and down the harbor flying U.S. flags.[4]

The gang operated for more than a decade before their brutal acts caused so much public outrage that politicians were forced to withdraw their political support, and after 1870 the gang was eventually broken up by police "head smashers" or "strong arm squads," as were many other gangs of the era.[3]